Zambia

Demographics

Zambia has the 13th lowest Human Development Index rating in the world

• Population: 11,669,534 (UK: 61 million)
• Birth rate: 41 births/1,000 population (UK: 11 births/1,000)
• Population under 15 years: 45% (UK: 18%)
• HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate: 16.5% of population (UK: 0.2%)

Infrastructure

• Area of the country: 290,586 sq miles (UK: 94,525 sq miles)
• 56,818 miles of roads, but 20,117 only miles of paved roads (UK: 241, 104 miles – all paved)
• 107 landing strips of which only 9 are paved

Economy

Despite progress in privatization, budgetary reform, and growth in copper exports, Zambia's economic growth remains too low to reduce poverty significantly

• 85% of the population employed in agriculture, fishing and forestry
• Main exports include copper/cobalt 64%, cobalt, electricity; tobacco, flowers, cotton

Environment

Landlocked Zambia consists of mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains. A number of factors threaten the environment:

• Chemical runoff into watersheds;
• Air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction and refining region;
• Poaching seriously threatens rhinoceros, elephant, antelope, and large cat populations;
• Deforestation;
• Soil erosion;
• Desertification;
• Lack of adequate water treatment presents human health risks

Climate

Zambia has a tropical climate, modified by widespread high altitude and a long rainy season, with resultant natural hazards to the population:

• Periodic drought
• Tropical storms (November to April)

Religion

Kaunda’s socialist humanism was government policy. Chiluba, as an active Christian, declared Zambia a Christian country in 1991 but with full religious freedom for all faiths. This was written into the constitution in 1996